J. W. Kiddey: Parsimonious And Profligate

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31224, 23 November 1966, Page 19

J. W. Kiddey: Parsimonious And Profligate

TTOR nagging accuracy, and 1 the ability to make the ball move dangerously late, Canterbury has had few bowlers in recent times to compare with J. W. Kiddey, who has announced that he is no longer available for representative cricket.

On unresponsive pitches, Kiddey’s role for Canterbury was often a defensive one. But when the shine was there, the air was heavy, or the pitch doing a little, Kiddey could strike swiftly as a snake. A left-arm bowler of medium pace, Kiddey’s natural line brought the ball into the batsman a shade. When the mood was on him, however, his late away-move-ment could be devastating. Often, when wickets were not coming his way, he kept batsmen completely under control while his team-mates attacked at the other end. Auckland will remember him for this, when its batsmen took nearly five hours to make 125 off the bat in the match at Eden Park in 1961.

On that strange and rather disturbing occasion, Kiddey took one for 17 from 33 overs. The other face of the coin was seen that season at Hamilton, where Kiddey’s figures against Northern Districts were seven for 24 and three for 35 from a total of 46 overs. He could bowl for long periods without reducing his sharp control, and without any apparent loss of rhythm. All parsimony as a bowler, Kiddey was a batting profligate. He could make some splendid strokes, others only distantly related to

the orthodox. He liked to have marked Canterbury’s hit the ball, and he often cricket in the last few seadid. Kiddey took part in sons. several of the stirring late- He played his first game wicket partnerships which for Canterbury in 1956-67,

and in it he had a match analysis of 6 for 89 against Central Districts. In those days he batted at number six, and in' the second innings he made 42 in 50 minutes. The time seems really startling when it is remembered that the opposing bowlers included H. B. Cave and D. D. Beard, whose tightness of fist was extreme. Later that season Kiddey played against a touring Australian team, taking 3 for 54 in the first innings—W. Watson, P. J. Burge and L. F. Kline. Only three seasons ago, Kiddey had the startling figures of 5 for 8 in an Otago innings. In all, he took 132 Plunket Shield wickets at under 19 runs each, and 141 in all first-class matches. He must have been given very close attention when the team was being chosen for the 1961-62 tour of South Africa. It is good tn know that Kiddey will still be playing for Riccarton. He began his senior career with St. Albans as long ago as 1947-48. But his fortunes changed for the better when he joined Riccarton in 1956-57. A previous best bowling aggregate of 15 jumped to 40—and in that first season for Riccarton he scored a spectacular 224 against his old dub. Kiddey has now scored nearly 4000 runs in senior championship matches, and so far has taken 537 wickets. A slips fieldsman of swift reflexes, he has taken more than 100 catches in these matches. AU grim intent as a bowler, a cheerful bitter as a batsman, Kiddey brought pleasure to many in his firstclass career. Opposing batsmen might dissent from this view.